Tax records show in 2015, Murrysville Christian Concern earned $116,344 in revenue and donated just $400 to the needy.

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Updated: 6:41 PM EST Nov 20, 2017

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WEBVTT GAVE AWAYIN DONATIONS FOR THE ENTIREYEAR.BOARD MEMBERS AND EVEN THEPRESIDENT OF THE CHARITYRESIGNED AFTER WE STARTED ASKINGQUESTIONS QUESTIONS.IT'S HE'S HE I TO FIND BARGAINS.SHOPPERS WILL ALSO SEE THISPOSTER SAYING STORE OWNERMURRYSVILLE CHRISTIAN CONCERN ISREADY AND WILLING TO HELP THENEEDY IN THE COMMUNITY.THAT USED TO BE THE CASEACCORDING TO RETIRED DISTRICTJUDGE ROBERT SCOTT.>> THERE WAS A MULTITUDE OFCAUSES THAT WE RELIED ON IN THETHRIFT SHOP TO CONTRIBUTE TO.REPORTER: BUT TAX RECORDS SHOWIN 2015 MURRYSVILLE CHRISTIANCONCERN EARNED 116,000 INREVENUE AND DONATED JUST $400 TOTHE NEEDY.IN 2016 WITH 160,000 REVENUE ITGAVE AWAY JUST 2900 CASH.>> I THINK IT'S DESPICABLE.REPORTER: MANIES UPSET ISLONG-TIME STORE VOLUNTEER ANDFORMER BOARD MEMBER ROSE POTICK.>> THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THATNEED THE HELP AND WE ARE NOTGIVING IT TO THEM.REPORTER: PAUL VAN OSDOL FROMCHANNEL 4, MA'AM.WE ASKED THE THRIFT STOREPRESIDENT ABOUT THE LACK OFDONATIONS.IF THE MONEY WASN'T BEING GIVENAWAY WHAT WAS BEING DONE WITHTHE MONEY.>> WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEYIN THE PAST 18 MONTHS AS WE DONOW.REPORTER: SHE SAYS THE THRIFTSTORE HAD TO MAKE COSTLY REPAIRSAND HAD MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS.FINANCIAL RECORDS SHOW THEY HAVESPENT THAT YOUS ON REPAIRS.YET IN 2015 WHEN THE STORE GAVEAWAY ONLY $400 RECORDS SHOW ITSPENT $700 ON A HOLIDAY PARTY ATTHIS BANQUET HALL.IN AUGUST THE STORE MANAGER SAIDIN THIS LETTER TO THE BOARD ITWAS DISTURBING AND UNACCEPTABLETHAT SO LITTLE MONEY WAS BEINGDONATED.RECORDS OBTAINED BY ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATES SHOW THE CHARITYHAD $100,000 IN THE BANK INSEPTEMBER.WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THELETTER WAS WRITTEN BACK INAUGUST?HAS ANYTHING CHANGED?>> WE HAVE DISWITDISCUSSED ITAND ARE WORKING ON THAT.REPORTER: WHEN BOARD MEMBERSTRIED GOING TO A BOARD MEMBER TOASK QUESTIONS ABOUT SPENDING.>> WE WERE MET WITH A CONSTABLESTANDING UP FLASHING HIS BADGEAND SAYING, YOU CAN'T COME IN.REPORTER: THIS PICTURE SHOWS ACONSTABLE'S CAR PARKED OUTSIDETHE HOME WHERE THE BOARD HELDANOTHER CLOSED MEETING.CHARITIES ARE NOT REQUIRED TOHAVE OPEN BOARD MEETINGS BUT THESECRECY OF MURRYSVILLE CHRISTIANCONCERN STILL BOTHERS SOMEVOLUNTEERS.>> IT IRRITATES ME TO NO ENDBECAUSE WHY ARE WE PAYING ACONSTABLE TO KEEP SOMEONE OUT,AND IT SHOULD BE OPEN TO THEPUBLIC.REPORTER: WHY ARE YOU SPENDINGMONEY ON CONSTABLES TO COME TOYOUR BOARD MEETINGS?>> I CAN'T ADDRESS THAT WITHYOU.THIS IS A LEGAL MATTER.I CAN'T ADDRESS THAT.REPORTER: LATER SHE SENT ANEMAIL SAYING THE CONSTABLE WASTHERE TO PROTECT THE BOARDAGAINST AN UNRULY BOARD MEMBER.BARRY SAYS HE IS THAT BOARDMEMBER.HE SAYS HE NEVER WAS UNRULY BUTHE WAS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUTWHERE THE MONEY WAS GOING.THEN HE GOT KICKED OFF THEBOARD.>> THERE IS NEED EVERYWHERE, ANDI JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.REPORTER: OTHER THRIFT STORESLIKE THRIFT TEAGUE INLAWRENCEVILLE GIVE AWAY FARMORE.LAST YEAR THE STORE RUN BY THEPITTSBURGH CHAPTER OF THENATIONAL COUNCIL FOR JEWISHWOMEN SPENT 9% OF ITS REVENUESON CHARITABLE PROGRAMS, BUT JUSTONE PERCENT OF MURRYSVILLECHRISTIAN WENT TO CHARITY.>> WE ARE ALWAYS MAKING SURETHAT WHAT WE DO SERVES OURMISSION.THAT REALLY SHOULD BE THEPURPOSE OR POINT OF EVERYNONPROFIT.REPORTER: BARRY AGREES.>> IT GOT SIDETRACKED DOWN THISWRONG TRACK.

“We didn't have as much money in the past 18 months as we do now,” Kandala said.

She said the thrift store had to make costly repairs and had management problems. Financial records show the charity spent thousands on repairs.

Yet in 2015 -- when the store gave away only $400 -- records show it spent $708 on a holiday party at a banquet hall.

In August, the store manager said in a letter to the board, it was "disturbing and unacceptable" that so little money was being donated. Records obtained by Action News Investigates show the charity had $100,771 in the bank in September.

Action News Investigates asked Kandala if anything has changed since she saw the store manager’s concerns.

“We discussed it. We're working on that,” she said.

But when Scott, Patek and former board member Larry Rupnik tried going to a board meeting to ask questions about spending, Scott said, “We were met with a constable standing up, flashing his badge and saying, ‘You can’t come in.’”

They took a picture of a constable’s car parked outside Kandala's home, where the board held another closed meeting.

Charities are not required to have open board meetings, but the secrecy of Murrysville Christian Concern still bothers some volunteers.

“It irritates me to no end because why are we paying a constable to keep someone out? It should be open to the public,” Patek said.

Asked why the charity was spending money on constables, Kandala said, “I can’t address that with you. This is a legal matter.”

Later, she said in an email that the constable was there to protect the board against an "unruly board member."

Rupnik said he is that board member. He said he never was unruly, but he was asking questions about where the money was going. Then he got kicked off the board.

Last year, the store run by the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Council for Jewish Women spent 9 percent of its revenues on charitable programs. But just 1 percent of Murrysville Christian Concern's revenues during the past two years went to charity.

“We're always making sure we serve our mission in everything we do, and that really should be the purpose or point of every nonprofit,” said Cristina Ruggiero, executive director of the Pittsburgh chapter.

Rupnik agrees.

“It got sidetracked down this wrong track. We need to get it back on track, be a Christian organization and help people,” he said.

Kandala resigned after being interviewed by Action News Investigates. She and six other board members resigned after a board meeting that she said was disrupted by Rupnik and several volunteers. She said the controversies created a mutiny that the board members did not want to be associated with.

Experts say anyone considering a thrift store donation should ask these questions:• What percentage of the revenues is donated to charity?• Where does the money go?• How does it benefit the community?